Charges: Drunk driver toppled power pole with stolen van, ending high-speed pursuit
Kevin Haugh, Nicollet County Jail

A man who allegedly led police on a high-speed chase that ended with a toppled power pole is now facing charges in two counties.

Court documents say Kevin Charles Haugh, 42, of Shakopee, stole the van used in the rural Nicollet County pursuit last week from New Ulm Bus Lines.  Court documents say Haugh’s erratic driving caught the attention of other motorists Thursday afternoon when he crashed into a road closed sign at the intersection of county roads 12 & 21 near Courtland.

Officers eventually caught up with Haugh on Nicollet County Rd 15 and attempted to stop the van, but Haugh led sheriff’s deputies on a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, according to the complaint.

Deputies attempted a maneuver with two squad cars in an attempt to get Haugh to slow down, says the complaint, but Haugh apparently increased his speed, careening into the ditch, where the van struck a large power pole and severed it at the base.

Police say Haugh refused to listen to their commands to get out of the vehicle.  The complaint says law enforcement had to direct a staggering Haugh away from the downed, live power lines when he finally emerged from the vehicle.

Haugh was uncooperative and actively tried to avoid being handcuffed, says the complaint.  He allegedly refused a portable breath test.  Police say he smelled of alcohol and couldn’t keep his balance.  He was eventually transported to River’s Edge Hospital to check for injuries.

Court documents say Haugh reported he’d been discharged from the Brown County Detox Center the previous day after he’d had a blood-alcohol concentration of .50.  He allegedly also told the ambulance staff he had drank a 1.75 liter of vodka.

Haugh was charged Friday in Nicollet County Court with felony fleeing a police officer.  He also faces a number of misdemeanor charges, including driving after cancellation, obstructing the legal process, DWI, reckless driving, and more.

Haugh was also charged Monday in Brown County with auto theft and 3rd-degree burglary, both felonies.  The van allegedly stolen by Haugh had been locked in a shed when it was last seen at around 3 p.m. Thursday. The first complaint about Haugh’s driving was received by the Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office less than two hours later. A bus company manager told investigators the lock had been bypassed.

 

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